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Lentil soup with caramelised onions v
Make as described, and while the soup is cooking, slowly fry 2 finely sliced onions in a tablespoon of olive oil until deep golden brown and very soft. This will take at least 20 minutes. Serve each portion of soup with a glossy pile of caramelised onions on top, or stir through the soup before serving.
Lentil and mushroom soup
The lentils and mushrooms in this soup blend beautifully to make a deep, dark soup with a rich, earthy flavour. If they don’t know, people sometimes think they’re just eating mushroom soup, but of course the lentils give it extra body and are full of nourishment.
SERVES 4
1 large onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (5oz) butter
125g (4oz) mushrooms, chopped
125g (4oz) green or Puy lentils
850ml (1½ pints) water or unsalted vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or flakes of Parmesan-style cheese, to garnish
Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4–5 minutes.
Add the lentils and the water or stock. Simmer gently, with a lid on the saucepan, for about 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Blend the soup if you want a smoother texture and thin it with a bit more water if you wish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Reheat the soup and serve it in warm bowls topped with some chopped parsley or flakes of Parmesan-style cheese.
Lentil, tomato and basil soup v
Although it’s generally best to avoid cooking pulses with tomatoes because the acidity can prevent them from softening properly, split red lentils are an exception as they are so quick to cook. The result is a lovely tasty soup.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
125g (4oz) split red lentils, washed
400g can tomatoes
850ml (1½ pints) unsalted stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
a few torn or shredded fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and celery and cook gently, covered, for 7–10 minutes without browning.
Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock or water, bring to the boil and simmer gently, with the pan half covered, for 25–30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Blend to the consistency you like, then season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and perhaps a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
Serve very hot, in warm bowls, scattered with the basil.
Lentil and vegetable soup v
Is there anything as satisfying, soothing and warming as a homemade lentil and vegetable soup filling the house with the scent of herbs? Plus, it’s so cheap and easy to make. It’s great as it is, or you could offer some flaked or grated strong cheese to stir into it and some chunks of country-style bread to mop up the juices.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 large carrots, cut into small dice
2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
50g (2oz) mushrooms, chopped
75–125g (3–4oz) cabbage, shredded
125g (4 oz) dried green or Puy lentils, or a 400g can
1 litre (1¾ pints) unsalted stock
1 bouquet garni – a couple of sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf tied together
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and all the other vegetables, cover and cook gently for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add the lentils, stock and the bouquet garni and bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer for about 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
Remove the bouquet garni, stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Lettuce soup
Why throw away the outer leaves of a lettuce that you’ve so carefully grown just because they’re too coarse for a salad? Make them into this fresh and summery soup instead.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (½oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled and diced
outside leaves of 2–3 lettuces, chopped
1 litre (1¾ pints) water
150ml (5fl oz) single cream
salt, freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and cook the onion and potato gently for 5 minutes with a lid on the pan, but don’t brown them.
Add the lettuce leaves and stir them for a minute or two until they’re glossy with the oil, then pour in the water or stock and bring to the boil. Simmer the soup gently, with a lid on the pan, for 15–20 minutes or until the potato is very tender.
Blend the soup and stir in the cream. Season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg and stir in the chopped chives.
Reheat and serve in warm bowls.
Cream of mushroom soup
My father was brilliant at finding field mushrooms – probably due to years of practice growing up on a farm in the Yorkshire Dales – and this is the soup that my mother used to make with his precious finds. It works very well with other types of mushrooms too.
SERVES 4
225g (8oz) mushrooms
1 small onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, sliced
a few parsley stalks
575ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
50g (2oz) butter
40g (1½oz) flour
about 575ml (1 pint) milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp sherry (optional)
Wash the mushrooms and remove the stalks. If you’re using field mushrooms take off the skins too, but this isn’t necessary with cultivated mushrooms. Put the stalks (and skins if you’ve removed them) into a medium-sized saucepan together with the onion, bay leaf, garlic, parsley stalks and stock and bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for 10 minutes to extract the flavours. Strain the liquid into a measuring jug (discarding the stalks) and make the quantity up to 850ml (1½ pints) with the milk.
Melt 40g (1½noz) of the butter in the saucepan and stir in the flour. When it froths, pour in a quarter of the milk mixture and stir over a fairly high heat until it has thickened. Repeat the process with the rest of the milk in three more batches.
Chop or slice the mushrooms, fry them lightly in the remaining butter and add to the thickened milk.
Season with salt, pepper, a grating of nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne and the sherry if you’re using it. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes to give the flavours a chance to blend, then serve.
Vegetarian-style minestrone soup
A filling, main course soup that’s always great for feeding a crowd.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1cm (½in) dice
a few leaves of cabbage, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
